Ballot-box.



A. PAGE.

BALLOT BOX.

APrLIoATIoH FILED ulm?, 1909.

' 927,068, l Patented July6, 1909. y

UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS PAGE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANAD.

BALLOT-BOX.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, A notri-[Us PAG-u, a citizen et the United States, :residing in the city el' Toronto, in the county ci York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ballot Boxes, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention. relates to a ballot box adapted to be used by secret societies for the purpose of balloting for candidates and other matters in connection with lodges and societies, in which the box is passed around the room whereby the dii'lerent members may readily obtain a ballot ball therefrom, and cast it therein., in a manner that those near him may not see the color of the ballot ball he deposits in the section of the box provided for that purpose.

The ballot box so constructed that it comprises two essential parts in combination, one a receptacle for containing ballot balls, and the other an indicating receptacle. The ballot indicating receptacle is provided with a transparent or glass inclosed iront, with a hinged. cover for same. rlhe ballot ball receptacle is situated at the baelr part of the ballot box, and is also provided with a hinged cover. The ballot balls may be obtained from the ballot ball receptacle, and deposited in the indicating receptacle, where they may readily be seen through the glass front, by raising the hinged cover, when the exact number and species of ballot balls deposited.

K therein maybe counted and inspected ,for the purpose of deciding the result ol the vote.

The ballot indicating receptacle in the box is an. inclined front of the box incloscd by a glass plate or other transparent material, and the bottom is hinged to a cover, hinged to the bach ol the box and adapted to cover the ballot balls within the ballot ball receptacle, a section divided oil in. the bottom part of the box, when the ballots are not in use. When the cover' of the ballot ball receptacle is raised to permit the ballot balls being obtained the bottom oi the ballot indieating receptacle closes up so that the ballot balls may be retained until the result oi' the vote has been decided.

The design of the box as illustrated herewith may be considerably varied as to the shape of the sides and length and breadth, but the essential features lie in the manner of arranging above a ballot ball receptacle, the ballot indicating receptacle with a dis- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1909.

Patented .Tuly 6, 1909.

Serial No. 474,532.

appearing bottom to release the ballot balls into the ballot ball .receptacle from where they were originally obtained, practically, vithout moving the ballot balls from the Jox.

Figure l is a perspective front view of the ballot box; Fig. 2 is a perspective rear view of the ballot box; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional 'view through the box.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and spcciiication.

b a---a are the sides and l) the bottom ol the c indicates the ballot ball receptacle situated in the bottom of the box partially closed over by a dividing wall d. Closing over the other part ol' the ballot ball receptacle is a hinged cover c, adapted to be raised up and fastened in its raised position to expose the ballot balls, and to permit them being obtained.

The ballot indicating receptacle f consists of an inclined back wall gand a glass iront 7i relatively situated away from the back wall g to leave a space fi the width of the diameter through one of the ballot balls.

j designates the top of the ballot indicating receptacle, and formed through the top and adapted to communicate into the space t between the back wall and glass front of the receptacle is a circular opening 7s sufficiently large to admit the insertion oi a ballot ball.

Z designates a division wall extending between the two sides -d and adapted to divide the ballot box into the front and back halves. Hinged to the front face of the division wall Z and adapted to close over the glass front and ballot indicating reccp tacle is a cover fm, adapted to prevent the ballot as being cast from being seen, until the proper time when the ohicers of the lodge may raise the cover for that purpose.

The cover m not only hides the ballot balls from being seen as they are being cast, but also protects the glass front. The space 'i formed by the back wall and glass front communicates directly with the ballot ball receptacle c situated in the bottom of the box, through an opening n formed through the dividing wall d.

Pivoted to the inner faces of the sides l) of the ballot box are lever arms o, and supported on the outer ends of the lever arms is the removable bottom r of the ballot indicating receptacle.

p designates link arms adapted to pivotally connect the lever arms 0 with the justable bottom supported by lever arms, hinged cover c, that when the hinged cover said lever arms plvoted to the said hinged is raised or lowered the lever arms will raise and lower with it. W hen the hinged cover e is raised into a vertical position it opens up the ballot ball receptacle, and also raises up the outer end of the lever arm which carries with it the removable bottom r fastened to the outer ends of the lever arms and forces it into the opening a in the ballot ball receptacle, and provides a bottom to support the ballot balls in between the inclined back and the glass front. Connected to the top edge of the inclined back wall g is a catch s adapted to be fastened over the edge of the hinged cover c when raised into a vertical position to hold it in that position, that the removable bottom will be maintained in position to retain the ballot balls within the ballot indicating receptacle when being inserted through the opening l: through the to i lWhen it is desired to release the ballot balls from the ballot indicating receptacle and to destroy the ballot cast, the catch S is released from the edge of the hinged cover e, and allows the cover to be lowered into a horizontal position, and lower with it the lever arms 0, which carry with them the removable bottom r away from the opening n, and allow the ballot balls to pass through the opening n into the ballot ball receptacle c.

Fastened to the top edge of the division wall Z is a handle t adapted for the purpose of carrying the ballot box around the room and to facilitate in presenting it to the voters for the purpose of obtaining and casting a ballot ball. Removably attached to the division wall at a slight distance above the top is a shield u, adapted to hide the view of the opening 7c in the top into the ballot indicating receptacle from being seen by the pern son carrying the ballot box.

The sides a-c of the ballot box are adapted to extend rearward from the division wall suiliciently far to prevent persons on either side of the person casting their ballot ball seeing the color of the ballot ball used.

1n Fig. 3 of the drawings 1 show in dotted lines the front cover 7L in a raised position to expose the condition of the ballot balls in the ballot ball receptacle. The hinged cover c is also shown in dotted lines in its open or vertical position.

Wh at I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. ln a ballot box, a ballot ball receptacle in the bottoni of said ballot box, a hinged cover forming the top of said. ballot ball receptacle, an inclined ballot indicating receptacle extending upwardly from said ballot ball receptacle, an opening through the top into said ballot indicating receptacle, an adcovei' of said ballot ball receptacle, said ad justable bottom adapted to open and close communication between the said ballotindicating receptacle and said ballot ball receptacle, substantially as specified.

2. 1n a ballot box, a ballot ball receptacle, situated in the bottom of said ballot box, a hinged cover forming the top oi said ballot ball receptacle, an inclined ballot indicating receptacle situated above and adapted to communicate with said ballot ball receptacle, an opening through the top into said ballot indicating receptacle, a glass front ltor said ballot indicating receptacle, a hinged cover adapted to close over said glass front, an adjustable bottoni lor said ballot indicating receptacle, said adjustable bottoni supported on lever arms, said lever arms pivotally connected with the said hinged cover of said ballot ball receptacle, said adjustable bottom adapted to open and close communication between said ballot indicating receptacle and said ballot ball receptacle by the raising and lowering of said hinged cover oi said ballot ball receptacle, substantially as specihed.

3. ln a ballot box, a ballot ball receptacle situated in the bottom of said ballot box, a hinged cover for said ballot ball receptacle, an inclined ballot indicating receptacle situated above said ballot ball reeeptacle, an opening through the top into said ballot indicating receptacle, a glass front in said ballot indicating receptacle, a hinged cover adapted to close over said glass front, a removable shield situated above said opening into said ballot indicating receptacle, a carrying handle fastened along the top edge of said ballot box, an adjustable bottom adapted to open and close communication between said ballot indicating receptacle, and said ballot ball receptacle, substantially as specified.

4. In a ballot box, a ballot ball receptacle situated in the bottom of said ballot box, a ballot indicating receptacle, having' a glass front situated above said ballot bail receptacle, an opening through the top into said ballot indicating receptacle, a removable shield situated. above said opening into said ballot indicating receptacle, a carrying handle fastened along the top edge of said ballot box, an adjustable bottom adapted to be adjusted to open and close communication between said ballot indicating receptacle and said ballot ball receptacle, substantially as specified.

Signed at Toronto, this 8th day of J anuary, 1909.

ADOLPHUS PAGE.

ln the presence of* JENNIE DERRETT, A. A. ADAMS. 

